Accidents during reversing cost scores of lives and millions of pounds. Now scientists have developed a ‘transparent’ car to make them a thing of the past. Driving tries it out

Japanese scientists believe they may be able to prevent the thousands of
collisions that happen every year when drivers run into objects — and people
— while they are reversing. Most of the accidents are the fault of drivers
who don’t notice what’s behind them because of poor visibility or because
the object is hidden below the level of the back window or behind the rear
pillars.

The solution devised by a team at Keio University involves a reflective
coating on the back seats. Two cameras mounted on the rear of the car feed a
projector in the cabin with the view beyond the back of the car. This
projected image is bounced off a sheet of glass sitting in between the front
seats and onto the reflective surface.

The effect is to make the back of the car appear transparent. When the driver
glances in the rear-view mirror or looks over